Printing apparatus employing roller platen and traveling carriage



United States Patent [7 21 Inventor Harold L. Hudson Syracuse, New York [211 App]. No. 765,461

[22] Filed Oct. 7, 1968 [45] Patented Nov. 17, 1970 [73] Assignee Gaylord Bros, Inc., Syracuse, New York a corporation of New York [54] PRINTING APPARATUS EMPLOYING ROLLER PLATEN AND TRAVELING CARRlAGE 8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. 10l/269, 101/250 [51] lnt.Cl B41f3/00, B4lf 3/04 [50] Field of Search 101/269,

Primary Examiner-William B. Penn Attorney-Robb & Robb ABSTRACT: A portable printing machine of the type which is particularly suitable for library use in recording book loans and for other analogous uses, wherein a forwardly and rearwardly movable carriage is provided to support an embossed printing die member and a data-recording card or slip in superimposed printing relation so that as the carriage travels beneath a printing roller which is movable downwardly and upwardly into and out of rolling contact with the data-recording card or slip responsive to the traveling movements of the carriage, the data on the printing die member will be uniformly, distinctly and quickly printed on the recording card or slip. Traveling movement is positively imparted to the carriage by power means of the eiectromechanically operated crank and pitman type which is operable in timed relation to camming means acting upon the printing roller to move the latter into and out of printing position at predetermined times during travel of the carriage, and the power means is activated by a simple fingertip operated control member which serves to initiate a single printing cycle at a time, with the carriage being restored to a predetermined starting point, without overrun, as automatically controlled by brake means acting instantaneously on the power means when the carriage returns to the starting point of the printing cycle, attended by automaticdeactivation of the power means. Operation of the machine is exceptionally quiet, rapid and completely free of bounce during printing contact of the printing roller, with consequent uniformity and sharpness of the printed data recorded on the recording card or slip. Additional dater printing dies or the like may also be used to supplement the embossed printing die if desired.

Patented Nov. 17, 1970 Sheet 1 of4 xlilllllllldu n 1 HAROLD L. HUDSON ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 11, 1 970 Sheei ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 17, 1970 Sheet HAROLD L. HUDSON ATTORNEYS PRINTING APPARATUS EMPLOYING ROLLER PLATEN I AND TRAVELING CARRIAGE The present invention relates to portable printing machines of the type disclosed in U .S. Pat. No. 3,058,4l6 issued Oct. 16, 1962, and which is particularly useful for charging or checking out library books and for comparable transactions such as the recording of charges for commodity loans or sales memoranda by printing appropriate identification data from an embossed identification plate or card upon a data-recording slip when inserted in the machine in superimposed printing relation to each other.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved printing machine of this type which is more positive and trouble free in operation, assuring sharply defined printing impressions, and which is both rapid and quiet in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved driving mechanism for such machines, with the drive being effectively and positively powered throughout each printing cycle, and with each cycle being initiated by a simple fingertip operated control button, and the driving system including means for automatically terminating each printing cycle without overrun A still further object of the invention is to provide improved date-recording instrumentalities for such printing machines and which are selectively and quickly adjustable to print a preselected date on the data-recording card or slip in association with the data printed thereon by the identification plate or card, when so desired and without requiring removal of any parts of the date-recording instrumentalities from the machine to periodically change the dating indicia as formerly required in the case of somemachines of this type.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be defined in the appended claims:

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the preferred form ofprinting machine embodying my invention, and showing the carriage and printing head in positions corresponding to the midpoint ofa printing cycle;

FIG. 2 is a view of the machine in front elevation, with the housing or shroud shown in broken outline;

FIG. 3 is a view of the machine in side elevation, with the carriage and printing head shown in positions corresponding to the starting point ofa printing cycle;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, as seen from the same side as FIG. 3, but with the carriage and printing head shown in the midcycle positions;

FIG. 5 is a view of the machine in top plan and also diagrammatically illustrating the electric power circuit;

FIG. 6 is a detail view of the date-printing die assembly as shown in section on the line 6-6 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 7 is a view of the die assembly of FIG. 6 as shown in front elevation;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the main printing die which has the form of an embossed identification card or charge plate;

and

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the data-recording card or slip, showing a typical succession of printed records thereon as made by the main printing die of FIG. 8 and by the date-printing dies ofFIGS. 6 and 7.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the various figures ofthe drawings.

As illustrated, the printing machine includes a generally rectangular base I which preferably is provided with a sponge rubber or other appropriate subbase or backing 2 to form a cushion which serves to prevent marring or scratching of a desk or counter top when the machine is positioned thereon for use in libraries or elsewhere. The subbase also serves to reduce or eliminate noise tending to occur during operation of the machine. Suitably fixed to the base I adjacent to each lateral edge thereof is a guide rail 3 having a longitudinally extended groove 4, with the grooves disposed in opposed relation and forming trackways for a carriage generally designated 5, said carriage having rollers 6 mounted on opposite sides thereof and extended laterally outwardly therefrom for seating the same in the grooves 4-4 so as to allow free movement of the carriage rearwardly and forwardly on the base. Reciprocating motion is imparted to the carriage by suitable power driving means hereinafter more particularly described. The carriage 5 preferably has the form of a rectangular inverted boxlike structure which is closed at its sides and top, but open at its bottom. The upper side of the carriage is recessed to form a slot 7 and shallow pocket for slidably receiving therein a main die member 8, said die member being best shown in FIG. 8 and having the form of an embossed card or plate on which appropriate indicia is delineated in em bossed type. The die of FIG. 8 is particularly suitable for library use, but is not confined thereto. Secured to the top of the .carriage along the rear edge thereof is a pair of laterally spaced locator bars or guides 9,9 which serve to guide and locate a flexible data-recording work sheet or slip I0 on the upper surface of the carriage 5 and in superimposed relation to the die 8 when the sheet 10 is inserted in the machine for printing the data from die 8 thereon. The printing impressions are produced, in the case of single work sheets or slips I0, by an ink impregnated roller 11 which is carried by a printing head generally designated 12 which is movable downwardly and upwardly in timed relation to reciprocating movement of the carriage 5. The timing is preferably such that as the carriage approaches the end of its rearward movement, the printing head moves downwardly to bring the roller 11 into contact with the work sheet or slip l0 and roll thereon during continued movement of the carriage until the carriage approaches the end of its forward movement, thereby sharply and neatly printing the work sheet. Successive imprints can be made on the work sheet, as shown in FIG. 9, by advancing the work sheet step by step on the carriage of the machine. Instead of single work sheets or slips I0, carbon interleaved sheets or other multiforms can be used, in which event, the printing roller 11 can be ofa noninking type.

' In addition to the main die 8, suitable selective daters or dating dies I3 may be provided to supplement the data recorded on the work sheet by the main die. The supplemental daters or dies 13 may be of any appropriate type or number. For library use, at least three daters are preferably provided, as shown in the drawings, each of which is of a conventional type commonly known as a Veeder-Root date printer (Series 1477) which is adjusted to print the month, day and year as numerically depicted on the work sheet in FIG. 9. The multiple daters are fixed to a common rotary frame 14 which is fixed to a shaft 15, with the shaft journaled within the carriage 5 and extended through the front end of the carriage for connection with a control knob 16 by means of which any selected dater can be put into use by registering the selected dater with an opening 17 provided in the top of the carriage beyond or behind the main die 8, but in general alignment with the printing indicia on the latter, as will best appear from FIG. 9, so as to lie in the rolling path of the printing roller 11 as the latter rolls on the work sheet during the forward movement ofthe carriage 5.

The driving mechanism for imparting reciprocating movements to the carriage is best seen in FIGS. I to 5 inclusive and preferably is of the electromechanical type which includes an electric motor and gear transmission conventionally known as a Brevel gear motor (Model No. F 2821A). The motor, which is generally designated 18, operates at 3350 r.p.m. and is geared down to 39 rpm. by a reduction gear unit generally designated 19 driven thereby. The motor is equipped with a magnetic brake generally designated 20, which serves to instantaneously stop the motor when the electric power source diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 5 is interrupted by a normally open control switch 21 disposed in the power circuit.

Fixed to the output shaft 22 of the reduction gear unit 19 is a crank arm 23 having its free end pivotally connected at 24 to one end of a pitman or connecting rod 25. The other end of the pitman is pivotally connected to a bracket 26 suitably anchored to the rear end of the carriage 5. To operate the motor, a pushbutton 27 is provided at the front ofthe carriage for convenient access to the fingertips of either hand of the user of the machine, said pushbutton being fixed to a push rod 27 extending through the front and rear sides of the carriage, and having an arm 28 extended laterally therefrom for engagement at its free end with a button 29 which is part of the switch assembly 21, said button 29 being yieldably urged to a closed circuit position when the pushbutton 27 is depressed against the pressure of the expansion coil spring 30 encircling the push rod 27', with the rear end of the spring seated against a bracket 31 fixedly mounted within the housing, and the forward end of the spring being seated against an abutment collar 32 fixed on the push rod 27'. Arm 28 is freely slidable forwardly and rearwardly in a slot or notch provided in a guide bracket 33 to prevent the arm, push rod 27' and pushbutton 27 from rotating, with the arm 28 always in alignment with the pushbutton 29 of control switch 21.

With the carriage in its forward starting position, as in FIG. 3, powered motion thereof is begun by depressing pushbutton 27, causing arm 28 to release switch button 29, which in turn causes the power circuit to close, thereby energizing motor 18 which drives the carriage through the reduction gear unit, and its crank and pitman connections with the carriage. Travel of the carriage continues until the carriage moves to its rearmost position shown in FIG. 4 and returns to the starting position without interruption, thereby completing one full travel cycle. As the carriage returns to its starting position, arm 28 engages and depresses switch button 29, breaking the motor power circuit and causing the magnetic brake 20 to stop the motor instantaneously, without any overrun of the motor or carriage. The single full cycle of carriage reciprocation represents a single printing cycle and may be repeated at will by successive operations of the pushbutton 27, as portion be obvious from the foregoing.

Referring now to the details of the printing head 12 as more particularly shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 inclusive, the printing roller 11 is rotatably supported by laterally spaced arms 34, 34 which are fixed to a rigid arm 35 secured to a laterally extended shaft 36 which is rotatably mounted in a supporting bracket 37 fixedly mounted on and suitably anchored to the base I. Laterally spaced from the arm 35 and fixed to the shaft 36 is a cam-supporting arm 38 which is extended rearwardly from the shaft 36.'Adjustably fixed to the rear end of the arm 38 is a cam plate 39 having a flat cam face 40 defined by its lower edge which can be inclined to any desired degree relative to the arm 38 by appropriate adjustment of the cam plate on the supporting arm therefor. The upper portion of the cam plate 39 is longitudinally slotted to slidingly receive the arm 38 therein, and the cam plate can be fixed in adjusted position on the arm by set screws 39, 39. A coiled tension spring 41 is connected at 42 to the rear end of the cam plate 39 and at 43 to the base to normally exert a yieldable downward pull on the cam supporting arm 38 to cause the printing head 12 and roller 11 to be elevated above the carriage 5, with the roller [I normally spaced from the work sheet or data recording slip at the beginning and end ofeach printing cycle.

Pivotally mounted on the base I at 44 is a roller arm 45 which is free to swing forwardly and rearwardly between stop members 46 and 47 anchored to the base I, each of said stop members being preferably provided with cushioning faces to reduce noise when the arm 45 engages the stop members in its limited pivotal movements forwardly and rearwardly. Rotatably supported on the upper free end of the arm 45 is a roller 48 which engages the lower camming edge 40 of the cam plate 39 and thereby serving to lower the printing roller 11 to its printing position when the roller arm 45 swings rearwardly, and raising the printing roller 1] when the arm 45 swings forwardly. Timing of this action relative to movement of the carriage 5 is controlled by a rod 49 which is pivotally connected at 50 to an intermediate point on the arm 45, with the forward portion of the rod 49 slidably passing loosely through the bracket 26 on the rear side of the carriage 5, and the extreme forward end of the rod 49 being provided with a suitable stop such as a cotter key 5] located forwardly of the bracket 26.

Loosely mounted on the rod 49 is a coil spring 52 having its rear end engageable with adjustable stop nuts 53 threadedly mounted on the rod 49. In the starting position of the carriage 5 at the beginning of a printing cycle, the forward end of the spring 52 is spaced rearwardly from the carriage, as seen in FIG. 3, with the spring in a fully expanded condition. As the carriage approaches the end of its rearward movement during the printing cycle, the bracket 51 engages the forward end of the spring 52, causing compression of the spring until it builds up a spring pressure sufficient to swing the cam roller arm 45 rearwardly to a position just beyond a vertical deadcenter, as seen in H6. 4. During this action, as spring 52 overcomes the tension of spring 41, the cam roller 48 rolls rearwardly on the camming edge 40 of cam plate 39 with a quick upward thrust being exerted through the cam to the arm 38, thereby suddenly rocking the printing head 12 downwardly to bring the printing roller 11 into printing contact with the work sheet 10 and maintaining this contact with a uniform and positive pressure as the carriage moves forwardly to an extent sufficient to complete a printing impression of the dies 13 and 8, after which, the bracket 26 on the carriage 5 engages the stop 51 on the rod. Continued forward movement of the carriage causes a forward pull on the rod 49 and roller arm 45, allowing spring 41 to elevate the printing head and printing roller by the time the carriage completes its forward movement and completes one travel cycle as the carriage returns to its starting position. Automatic instant stopping of the carriage occurs by depression of the switch button 29 by the control arm 28 which moves with the carriage and interrupts the power circuit of the carriage driving mechanism as the carriage reaches the end of each printing cycle.

The working parts of the machine are preferably housed in a shroud 54 as generally indicated in broken lines in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings, with the shroud being provided with a suitable opening in its front side to allow access to and travel of the carriage during use of the machine.

For library book charging use, each dater unit 13 of the multiple dater die assembly is preferably preset for selective date intervals, according to the dates normally applicable in the particular library where the machine is being used.

For each dater selection, the dater assembly is yieldably held in set position by a ball-detent lock as generally indicated at 56. Dates can be quickly changed by adjusting the respective wheels of each dater to present the desired date numerals in their printing positions without removing the dater dies from the machine.

A master switch 55 may be provided in the electric power circuit, as shown in FIG. 5, to cut off the power, if desired when the machine is not in use or is expected to be idle for a prolonged time.

While the specific details of one illustrative form of the invention have been shown and described, the invention is not confined thereto as various changes and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A portable printing machine adapted to print from printing die members upon overlying data-receiving members when inserted in the machine, comprising a base, a printing head movably supported by and disposed above the base for movements in a downward and upward direction toward and away from a printing position, a carriage having means for removably receiving and holding a main printing die member and a data-receiving member in superimposed printing relation, said carriage being movably mounted on the base for travel in opposite directions beneath the printing head, power means operatively connected with the carriage for positively imparting reciprocating travel movements thereto in intermittent cycles commencing from an initial starting position until return of the carriage to said initial starting position at the completion of a travel cycle, and means responsive to traveling movements of the carriage under the influence of the power means aforesaid for moving the printing head toward and away from a printing position at predetermined positions pivotal member includes yieldable means interposed between the carriage and the pivotal cam roller carrying member for allowing limited travel of the carriage before causing movement of the printing head to its printing position.

4. A printing machine of the class described, comprising a base, a carriage movably mounted on said base, means for removably mounting a printing die in a fixed position on said carriage, means on said carriage for positioning a flexible data-recciving work sheet thereon in superimposed relation to said printing die, means for imparting continuously powered intermittent cyclic reciprocating motion to said carriage in a rearwardand forward direction relative to said base, a printing roller movably mounted on said base for movements in a stop travel of the carriage when it completes each travel cycle 7 and returns to its starting position.

2. A portable printing machine adapted to print from printing die members upon overlying data-receiving members when inserted in the machine, comprising a base, a printing head movably supported by and disposed above the base for movementsin a downward and upward direction toward and away from a printing position, a carriage having means for removably receiving and holding a main printing die member and a data-receiving member in superimposed printing relation, said carriage being movably mounted on the base for travel in opposite directions beneath the printing head, power means operatively connected with the carriage for positively imparting reciprocating travel movements thereto in intermittent cycles commencing from an initial starting position until return of the carriage to said initial starting position at the completion of atravel cycle, and means responsive to traveling movements of the carriage under the influence of the power means aforesaid for moving the printing head toward and away from a printing position at predetermined positions of the carriage in its travel cycle, said printing head including 0n arm pivotally mounted on the base and having a printing roller rotatably carried at one end of said arm, a cam supporting arm extended from the pivotal axis of the printing rollersupporting arm and operatively connected to the latter arm, cam means carried by the cam-supporting arm and disposed above the base, a member pivotally mounted on the base beneath the cam means aforesaid and having limited pivotal movement relative thereto, a roller carried by the free end of said latter pivotal member for rolling engagement with the cam means, and means interconnecting the carriage with the pivotal member which carries the cam-engaging roller to impart limited pivotal movement to the pivotal member and to the roller through the cam means and its engaging roller.

3. A portable printing machine as defined in claim 2, wherein the means interconnecting the carriage with the downward and upward direction about a fixed axis to cause the printing roller to roll across a portion of the data-receiving work sheet with a rolling pressure contact with the latter during one direction of movement of the carriage and to raise the printing roller out of contact with the data-receiving work sheet during movement of the carriage in the opposite direction, and means for imparting downward and upward movements to the printing roller in a predetermined timed relation to the cyclic movements of the carriage, said latter means including a cam, and an arm having one end pivotally connected to thebase and having a roller supported thereby at its opposite end, said arm also being operatively interconnected with the carriage to impart pivotal movements to the arm responsive to reciprocating movements of the carriage at predetermined intervals of the carriage cycle, and said roller being disposed for engagement with the cam to impart motion thereto responsive to pivotal movements of the arm.

5. A printing machine as defined in claim 4, wherein the printing roller exerts rolling pressure on the datareceiving work sheet only during forward movement of the carriage.

6. A printing machine as defined in claim 4, wherein the printing roller is yieldingly biased in an upward direction away from the data-receiving work sheet.

7. A printing machine as defined in claim 4, wherein the cam-actuating arm is yieldingly interconnected with the carriage. I

8. A printing machine as defined in claim 4, wherein the interconnection of the cam-actuating arm with the carriage comprises a rigid link pivotally connected at one end to the cam-actuating arm and having limited sliding engagement with the carriage at its opposite end, and compression spring means interposed between the carriage and the cam-actuating arm for allowing limited motion of the carriage before imparting movement to the arm, but causing quick movement of the arm when a predetermined spring pressure is attained during rearward'movement of the carriage to compress the spring between the carriage and the arm. 

